English Standard Version

King James Bible

1Then Job answered and said:

1Then Job answered and said,

2“Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

3If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times.

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

4He is wise in heart and mighty in strength—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

5he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger,

5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

6who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;

6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

7who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;

7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

8who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea;

8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

9who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;

9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.

10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13“God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him?

14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

15Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause;

17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

19If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?

19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.

23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

25“My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good.

25Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

26They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.

26They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’

27If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent.

28I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain?

29If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,

30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me.

31Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

33There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.

33Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.

34Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.

35Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.